Sport

Gillespie hails ‘special performance’

Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie labelled Yorkshire's stunning innings and 39 runs victory over Derbyshire as "a special performance" after two of their newcomers inspired an unexpected triumph at Headingley.

Having declared on 677 for seven on a flat batting wicket, giving them a lead and a minimum of 84 overs to try and conjure a victory, Yorkshire stunned Derbyshire by dismissing them for 163 with Jack Brooks claiming five for 40 and Liam Plunkett contributing two for 20.

It follows their equally spectacular victory over Durham and left Gillespie excited about the potential of a side boosted by the recruitment of Brooks from Northamptonshire and Plunkett from Durham.

"It was a pretty special performance to have 475 scored against us in the first innings and win by an innings," enthused Gillespie. "Our intent with the bat was fantastic and then to go out there with that aggression with the ball was superb - it was just a clinical performance

"We've shown in different situations we can score runs and take wickets. The players have just got that belief, they have the attitude and the work ethic and that's a great thing for our players to have."

On a pitch which generated 1,152 runs for 17 wickets with Chesney Hughes and Joe Root both enjoying double centuries during the opening two innings, it seemed unlikely that Yorkshire would be able to dismiss Derbyshire cheaply enough to secure victory. They earned themselves precious time by adding 80 in the opening ten overs to eclipse their highest ever total against Derbyshire of 662 recorded in 1898.

They were given a flying start by Plunkett dismissing Hughes and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who seemed ideal for the situation, cheaply to catches behind the wicket. Brooks began his wicket spree by ending a 92-run fourth wicket stand spanning 26 overs by removing both Wayne Masden and Wes Durston.

Still only six down at tea, Brooks completed the demolition only 28 minutes after that interval, removing Dan Redfern and Tom Poynton with successive deliveries and although Tim Groenewald blocked the hat-trick ball, Brooks claimed the final three wickets of the innings for six runs in 20 balls.